"A dynamite finger in a powder keg" ... This is how the world interacted with Soleimani's death

The killing of the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, by an American strike at dawn Friday in Baghdad, raised concern around the world, as most capitals called for calm and avoided escalation, while Iran vowed a harsh response.

The following are the most prominent positions and reactions around the world:

Iran
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, vowed "harsh retaliation" for Soleimani's death and declared three days of national mourning.

"God willing, his work and his path will not stop here, and a harsh revenge awaits criminals whose hands are stained with his blood and the blood of other martyrs," he said.

President Hassan Rouhani stressed that Iran and "free countries in the region will take revenge" for Soleimani's death. "Certainly, the big Iranian nation and other free countries in the region will take revenge on America for this heinous crime," he added.

"The act of international terrorism carried out by the United States to target and assassinate General Soleimani - the most effective force in fighting the Islamic State, the Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda, and others - is a very dangerous and reckless escalation," said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Iraq
The resigned Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, warned that the American air strike that killed General Soleimani and the deputy commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Committee, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, constituted a "dangerous escalation that ignited a devastating war" in Iraq.

President Barham Salih called on all parties to "exercise restraint, give voice to reason and wisdom, and present the supreme national interest."

Iraq’s top Shi’ite religious authority, Ali Sistani, described the US air strike as a “brutal attack.”

And the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr issued an order to resume the activities of the "Mahdi Army", the most prominent Shiite armed force that fought American forces in Iraq.

Qais Khazali, a prominent leader in the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, also called "all the mujahideen," referring to the crowd, to "readiness" to respond to the American strike.

United State
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that the United States is "committed to reducing escalation."

Pompeo tweeted that he had spoken to his British counterpart Dominic Rap and a member of the Chinese Political Bureau Yang Jiechi about Soleimani's death. "We appreciate that our allies are aware of the ongoing aggressive threats posed by Iran's Qods Force," he wrote in the tweet, adding that the United States "remains committed to reducing escalation."

The influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to US President Donald Trump, welcomed the president's "brave action" against "Iranian aggression."

Republican Senator Tom Cotton said that General Soleimani "got what he deserved."

But Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the strike against Soleimani constituted "a dangerous escalation of violence."

"Trump just threw a dynamite finger in a powder keg and he has to provide clarifications to the American people," said Joe Biden, former Vice President Barack Obama and the candidate for the Democratic primary. "It is a massive escalation in a mainly dangerous area."

Saudi
The Saudi News Agency said that a responsible source stated that the Kingdom has followed the developments in Iraq "that came as a result of the escalation of tensions and terrorist acts that have denounced it and warned the Kingdom in the past of its repercussions."

He added that with "knowing the operations and threats that the security and stability of the region are subject to by the terrorist militias that require their cessation, the Kingdom and in light of the rapid developments calls for the importance of self-restraint to ward off everything that might lead to exacerbating the situation with its unbearable consequences", highlighting that Riyadh is calling The international community to fulfill its responsibilities to take the necessary measures to ensure the security and stability of the region.

Lebanon
The Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, called on Friday for "retribution from the killers" of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

"The just retribution of those killed by criminals who are the worst villains of this world will be the responsibility, honesty and action of all the resistance fighters and the mujahideen throughout the world," Hassan Nasrallah said in a statement.

Syria
The Syrian authorities condemned the "cowardly American aggression" that led to the killing of Soleimani and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Authority Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad, saying it was a "dangerous escalation of conditions in the region," according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA).

The agency quoted a source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry as saying that Syria "is confident that this cowardly American aggression that led to the rise of an exceptional constellation of resistance leaders will only lead to more determination."

Russia
And Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday, during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, that the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani threatens "a dangerous aggravation of the situation" in the Middle East.

"It has been observed that this measure could seriously aggravate the situation in the region," the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron expressed their "concern" after the death of the Iranian general.

The RIA Novosti and Tass agencies quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that Soleimani's death "is an adventurous step that will exacerbate tensions across the region." "Soleimani sincerely served the cause of protecting Iran's national interests. Our sincere condolences to the Iranian people," the ministry added.

China
China called for restraint on all sides "and especially the United States" after the killing of General Qassem Soleimani.

"We urge the relevant parties, especially the United States, to maintain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tension," Foreign Ministry spokesman Jing Shuang told reporters.

NATO
NATO announced that it was "closely monitoring the situation" after the killing of General Soleimani.

"NATO is closely monitoring the situation in the region. We remain in close and regular contact with the US authorities," a NATO spokesman told AFP.

European Union
European Council President Charles Michel called for "an end to the cycle of violence, provocations and responses" in Iraq after the killing of General Soleimani, and wrote in a tweet, "Escalation should be avoided at any cost."

France
France has called for "stabilization" in the Middle East, commenting on the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, given the tongue by the Minister of European Affairs in her government, Amelie de Monchalan.

"We wake up in a more dangerous world. Military escalation is always dangerous," the French minister told RTL radio Friday.

Germany
Germany expressed "grave concern" and urged restraint and "escalation".

"We are in a dangerous phase of escalation," said Ulrike Demir, spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "It is now important to show restraint to help reduce the escalation." "We also view Iran's activities in the region with great concern," she added, but she warned that conflicts "can only be resolved through diplomatic means."

Britain
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Rap called for "all parties to reduce escalation."

"We have always seen the hostile threat" posed by the Quds Force, led by General Soleimani, he added, "After his death, we urge all parties to reduce the escalation. The outbreak of a new conflict is not in our interest."

Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US president's decision to act "quickly, forcefully and decisively" by launching a strike that killed General Soleimani in Iraq.

He said upon leaving Greece, interrupting his visit to return to Israel, "Just as Israel has the right to defend itself, the United States has the right to defend itself."

UAE
The UAE demanded no escalation after the killing of the Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted in his account on Twitter, "In light of the rapid regional developments, wisdom and balance must prevail, and political solutions prevail over confrontation and escalation."